I recently found this channel where the guy does really compelling reviews and explanations of books.
https://www.youtube.com/@QuinnsIdeas
I admit I’m a little ashamed how much I’m enjoying it because part of me is saying “Why are you listening to some dude talk about books instead of reading the books?” But I’m old and kinda lazy and lost interest in character development arcs and relationships and just want to know about the cool high-concept sci-fi ideas and storylines. This guy does a great job of giving me all the sci-fi I’m jonesing for in a short, and visually interesting format.
I heard so much about the Three Body Problem series but just don’t have the time to invest in book series’ the way I used to. But I found his channel and in about 4 20-30m videos got a really good impression of the series’ ideas and stories and just really enjoyed watching. Dude has a great voice for this too and is just a great ambassador of nerddom in general.
If you’ve fallen behind in your reading and don’t expect to have time to catch up- you should check this guys channel out.
I very much agree. I had read the original Dune novel but had not bothered with the rest of the series because it struck me as just another old scifi white savior story. It was Quinn’s Ideas that got me to read the full original 6 books and I was not dissapointed
One of my favorite channels.
Me too. Really great deep dive conversations about great books
Quinn got me into reading the Three Body Problem and Blindsight. I enjoyed the book, but his summaries are actually far better and more entertaining than the books themselves.
Which leads me to the conclusion that a person’s interpretation of a book is often more than the sum of its parts (the book).
His videos aren’t just a summary of the books, they are his interpretation of the book, which is often better than my own interpretation of the book.
Make time for the Three Body Problem, it’s worth it.
Quinn’s a good channel too. Enjoyed it for a while.
I have to admit that you admission of not having the room in your life for reading books but enjoying their concepts summarized irks me, but yeah I see the appeal.
Why does that irk you? /genuine
Because part for me about consuming media is having the artist’s intent come through and exploring the ideas they put on the paper, slow or fast buildup and character development etc. When you have it summarized you really can’t catch it all.
That being said I still don’t think this is a bad thing, it’s just my personal problem. Any artist should appreciate their art being consumed at any level and if the hooks are good enough summarization like this might even turn the viewer into a reader.
I think people are being unnecessarily harsh in response to your comment. I get what you mean - it must be frustrating to writers to see their work reduced to a few key points that remove it from the greater context.
I don’t think you’re being snobby in saying that.
On the other hand, I don’t think summaries are a bad thing. On the whole it’ll encourage more people to give the book a try. Anyone that’s put off by the summary probably wouldn’t have read the book in the first place, and at least it gives them some basic background.
"Red, White & Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston is a romantic novel. Find out how two friends were forced to fake a friendship for political reasons, but their feelings deepened into a secret romance that challenges their lives and the world’s perception. https://bit.ly/445UfVI
You know my favorite part of the Dune books was the glossary. I’ve always most enjoyed what I describe as ‘non-narrative’ sci-fi. I’ve read libraries of sci-fi and I found what I really like about it is the big technological and philosophical ideas. The conceptual meat-and-potatoes without all the relationships and personalities.
I get to enjoy sci-fi literature however I want and tbh it ‘irks’ me a bit to encounter literary snobbery over my choice in how to enjoy sci-fi. If you do that to a younger person it may turn them off to the genre just because they might not enjoy the same aspects as you do. So for their sake I’d advise keeping what ‘irks’ you about how other people enjoy sci-fi to yourself in the future.
Jeez, okay. You could’ve just said that after the “irk”. It’s not like you were interested in my explanation.
The fact that I don’t accept your explanation as a valid reason to judge other people’s media enjoyment doesn’t mean I wasn’t interested, that’s why I asked.
But also I don’t think you really read my post because I said explicitly I “lost interest in character development arcs and relationships and just want to know about the cool high-concept sci-fi ideas and storylines.” Your ‘explanation’ basically just says that’s not okay, so it’s not even an ‘explanation’, just a judgement.
I also said that I see the appeal even if it bothers me but fine have it your way.
“Crack smoking bothers me but I see the appeal.”
@GunnarRunnar to be fair, the OP is not the one that asked for an explanation.
They did in another comment.
@GunnarRunnar oh then yeah, don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.
Why does that ‘irk’ you?
Answered on the other comment.
or industry dry idea rod smooth complex person ticket pocket sneeze operation stamp company electric father increase bent expert ready flower minute ill mine help ill use point cord fruit colour far shade steel degree seat bee rest detail nation you insurance quality chain shake drawer attempt metal cough knee
physical daughter direction time curtain lip knee cork expert ever needle hearing test oven sand wax complete invention change knee pencil hanging lock answer present tight drink cloud night copper driving self why word country sort broken from rat east leg though fiction representative little motion dirty tongue thought tall
knife though band oil tail flower stiff bridge sense leather hour heart keep burn bulb punishment fruit safe industry stage carriage rub pin grass oil bell angle brown smoke wool profit shame tin sand sign boy transport with sheep expert false side fiction wash near parcel owner happy company fork
shock size quick metal ring metal fly across garden wash right reaction parcel polish theory brass town needle neck engine boiling secret approval army engine political bag glove coat trick and pocket board government range loss laugh jump a brother skirt important wound apparatus tired say division collar cork parallel
fight bad breath oil damage trousers feather effect current far stage sticky go expansion whip open shoe print girl heat hollow very make feeling smash foot nerve structure bright low past country end discussion sea bed picture kiss narrow chain fall stamp whip tomorrow division floor old foolish do stomach
have bright brick ever town fertile brass daughter almost motion kind about boot sense produce brain wire after mountain increase meal trick power start wide the attempt minute neck milk say bed animal ink feeble prose suggestion thumb birth dress basket grey lift soft complete knot wine jewel country lip
whistle friend tray reaction slope reading arm competition leg needle wool lead bread disgust have memory certain off west talk burn trick knife against drop river doubt comb ray substance push wide committee wheel effect birth east up form board hospital of bucket complex wing look mist breath bottle breath
end wave interest farm possible credit leg line hair look clear need island wide boiling design rain dust paper feather hat servant chalk regret plant fat canvas second same disgust look may property shoe thought strong ever ray have rice sock linen sugar apparatus top learning earth expert scissors sudden
board plough say paper floor cover pencil danger early only rough stitch crack mouth box cruel clear do natural thought decision measure glass sponge wax dark animal society front ink walk station prison error operation when bird special coat colour different nut male land good balance amusement plough observation bite
weather feeling scale put friend on healthy waste collar over bottle lead band payment floor possible ice wrong quite brass chalk there iron cake adjustment request if part clear kind iron harbour water map stop natural dress through plane attention neck chief will produce screw competition cold increase than thick